


as long as you keep comin' round

by bellamythology (onemanbellarmy)



Series: Bellarke AU Week 2016 [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, Bellarke AU Week, F/M, First Love, First Time, Fusion - The First Time, POV Bellamy, POV Clarke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-25 19:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7545619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onemanbellarmy/pseuds/bellamythology
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were both in relationships with other people, or hoping to be - so what was it that drew them so strongly to each other?</p><p>or: The First Time AU</p><p>(Bellarke AU Week Day 3: Modern AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i'll be all right and i'll sleep sound

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by/based off _The First Time_ , a movie with Dylan O'Brien that I thought was light and fluffy and fun. The fic's not done yet; I just wanted to get this up for Bellarke AU Week. I'll be returning to finish it eventually ;)
> 
> Accompanying playlist [here](http://8tracks.com/bellamythology/as-long-as-you-keep-comin-round)!
> 
> Title from Vanessa Carlton.

Clarke gave the rock another lackluster kick and watched it bounce off someone’s sneaker. She glanced up, meeting the guy’s eyes. “Sorry,” she said remorselessly.

He only raised an eyebrow and went back to pacing.

After a few minutes, she couldn’t stifle her curiosity any longer. “What are you doing?”

To her surprise and amusement, he pulled a piece of notebook paper from his back pocket, unfolding it and trying uselessly to smooth out the wrinkles. “There’s a girl here tonight. We’re best friends, but I’m going to — I’ve been trying to tell her how I feel about her.”

“Are you a senior? Not to stereotype or anything, but, well — you’ve got kind of a now-or-never thing going on.”

He nodded. “Can’t wait to get out of here. You?”

“Junior. Same. About getting out of here, I mean.”

“Sucks that you’ve got another year.” The guy seemed genuinely sympathetic, endearingly earnest. Abruptly he stuck out his free hand. “I’m Bellamy. Bellamy Blake.”

She took it. “Clarke Griffin.”

“You don’t go to Arkadia High, do you?”

She shook her head. “Polis. So, this girl you’re planning to confess to — does she have a name?”

“Gina. Martin. She’s — shit.”

It was really only human to take pity on him; he was kind of a mess. “What do you have so far?”

Bellamy started reading off his paper; after a few lines, Clarke stopped him. “That’s sweet, but I don’t think she cares about how you think _time stops when you make eye contact_.”

“Huh. You’re right.” Bellamy wadded up the paper, stuffing it back into his pocket. “Dammit, this was a stupid idea.”

“Well, it’s not all bad.” Clarke’s smile was soft. “How do you feel about her? Without referring to the pre-written speech, ’cause — yeah, that part was stupid. In everyday language, what’s it like to be in love with her?”

He sighed and plopped onto the ground next to her, stretching out his legs. “It’s not that I want to get her alone and make —”

“— sweet, sweet love to her?”

He shot Clarke a glare. “I was going to say _make out_. It’s — she’s not like that. Not that I don’t want to, of course, but, like … you know, I don’t have sexual fantasies about her. Or, well, I do, but they’re not the really dirty kind. I have those about Roma Bragg, like everyone else. Gina is … She’s special. She’s real.”

Clarke nodded sagely. “Well, while I certainly wouldn’t advise you to use those specific words —”

The wail of police sirens cut her off. They had time only to exchange a glance before leaping to their feet and taking off running, having somehow grabbed each other’s hand.

 

“No, really,” Clarke protested between giggles. They’d slowed to a walk in front of a gas station, having put what they deemed a safe distance between themselves and the party.

Bellamy was laughing too, and suddenly he realized they were still holding hands. He quickly let go.

Likely realizing they were also standing a little _too_ close together, Clarke took a quick step back. “I have a boyfriend. I know you’re into Gina, but, um, yeah.”

“That’s cool,” Bellamy said, mostly because what else could you say to that?

A car pulled up beside them, and they exchanged a glance as the occupants rolled down their windows. Out wafted the unmistakable smell of alcohol, but the driver seemed plenty sober. “Could you guys point us in the direction of the party? Dropship Street or something like that?”

“Ah, we just came from there, dude. It got broken up by the cops.”

“Damn,” sighed the guy riding shotgun. “We’ll find another one, then. You guys want a ride?”

Bellamy and Clarke exchanged another glance.

“We’re good, thanks.” Clarke managed a smile. Once they had gone, she added, “It’s only two blocks to my place. Would you maybe wanna walk me home? I mean, you don’t have to, I don’t even know how far it’d be for you, but —”

“Oh, yeah, it’s no problem. I’ll just, um. Yeah. Lead the way.”

 

Her room was a mess of paint swirls and unfinished projects. (This seemed fitting. Bellamy was beginning to realize that Clarke’s mind was too.)

“You want something to drink?” Even though she knew the house was empty except for them, Clarke felt like whispering was somehow more appropriate to the scene.

“Nah, I’m — yeah, I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “Well, I’m having wine.”

He took it in stride, meeting her unspoken challenge. “Wine sounds great.”

“Okay.” Clarke slipped downstairs, returning after a few minutes with two goblets. Handing one to Bellamy, she settled against the pillows at the foot of her bed. “So, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you pick?”

 

“Clarke! You’ve got school!”

“Okay, Mom!” Clarke caught her breath when she opened her eyes to see the boy from last night.

Bellamy. Senior at Arkadia High. Adorably, awkwardly in love with his best friend, Gina Martin.

Also, a boy. Who was in her room. All night.

“Shit,” she muttered. “Shit, shit, shit.” She shook his shoulder roughly. (If they’d drunk as much as she seemed to remember…) “You’ve gotta get out of here.”

He roused almost immediately. “Shit, what time is it?”

Already at the window, Clarke glanced at her alarm clock. “Late. Come on, hurry up!”

Bellamy joined her. “You know your room’s on the second floor?”

“Look, you just get onto the roof, then it’s just a short drop to the ground. I’ve done it before.”

Despite the skepticism plain on his face, he did as instructed, nearly tumbling off the roof in his haste.

Still watching, Clarke winced. “Bellamy!” she hissed, all too aware that her parents were home.

He looked up from the driveway, shot her a brief thumbs-up, and took off running.


	2. stumbling on reasons that are far and few

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy lost track of the conversation about then, because there she was. Golden hair twisted into a low messy bun, blue eyes bright as she laughed at something one of her friends was saying, slim fingers intertwined with those of a floppy-haired, douchey-looking guy who must be the boyfriend.
> 
> Then she turned, her gaze meeting his, and Bellamy’s sudden sharp annoyance melted away as she dropped the guy’s hand to cross the room to meet him. 
> 
> “Hi,” she said, her voice low and warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's been a while. I promise I'm still working on "summer heat," as well as a lot of other WIPs that I hope you guys will enjoy. Since I've got 3 upcoming AP tests in the next few weeks, though, I can't promise any updates coming soon.
> 
> I was waiting until I wouldn't feel squicky about writing a certain upcoming scene - age of consent is 18 in California, and I was a little uncomfortable writing about it when I can't technically legally do it myself - but this installment got longer than I expected, so I'm putting it off again ^^" 
> 
> Anyway, as a heads-up for those of you who've seen the movie, this chapter diverges somewhat; as you'll see, Gina had ideas of her own about how things should go.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Dude,” Miller huffed, amused at Bellamy’s retelling of the incident. “I wouldn’t believe it, but it’s _you._ ”

“Bellamy Blake, human disaster,” Raven agreed. “Come on. Just because she says she’s got a boyfriend doesn’t mean she actually does; that’s just what girls say. It’s basically an anti-douchebag reflex.”

Miller raised an eyebrow. “Like you’ve ever done it.”

She sighed dramatically. “In a perfect, non-patriarchal society, absolutely not. But some boys won’t take no unless it’s coming from another guy, so…”

“So — to return to the topic at hand, aka _my actual crisis_ — doesn’t the fact that she said she had a boyfriend negate any signals she may or may not have been sending?” Bellamy let his head drop to the diner table. “Why are girls so complicated?”

“Hey,” Raven interjected mildly.

“Present company excluded. Raven Reyes, light of my life, you are the very opposite of complicated.”

“You calling me simple, Blake?”

He opened one eye to mock-glare at her. “There’s no winning with you, is there?”

“Tough luck.” Miller snorted. “Whatever happens with that girl, you’re still stuck with us.”

“I know,” Bellamy said, trying to sound more annoyed than appreciative.

After a minute, Raven sighed again and held up Bellamy’s own phone. (He didn’t know when she’d swiped it, and quite frankly he was a little scared to ask.) “This is her, right?”

Bellamy stared at the Facebook profile. “Do I want to know how you found this?”

His friends just exchanged a look.

“You could send her a friend request,” Miller pointed out. “Or just message her.”

“Way ahead of you.” Raven smirked, ignoring Bellamy’s protests as she typed away. Finally she set the phone down, turning it so they could read what she’d written.

_hey it’s the nerd from yesterdays party._

_what r u doing tonight?_

“Fuck, Raven, she’s gonna think I’m a creeper and she’ll never talk to me again.”

But clearly he’d spoken too soon, because that taunting “typing” ellipse had just popped up. Seconds later, it disappeared. A pause. It reappeared. Then:

_hey to you too_

_to answer your question, not much_

_movie w/ the bf_

Miller raised an eyebrow at Raven, who shook her head. “The things we do for you, Bellamy. You owe us your firstborn or something. I mean, I’m not into kids, but I bet you guys’ll make really pretty babies. Probably worth something on Etsy, right?”

“What?” he said, still dazed at the fact that Clarke had actually texted back.

Raven and Miller exchanged another glance, this one more fond than exasperated and more resigned than anything else. “So what’s playing at the theater today?”

   


A flash of chestnut curls across the lobby caught Bellamy’s eye, and he did a double take as their owner caught sight of him at the same time. “Gina?”

“Bellamy, hey! And Raven, and Miller. How are you guys?” Gina’s smile was warm and sincere as she greeted them, but Bellamy couldn’t seem to focus on the usually stunning sight when he was still searching the room for a glimpse of blonde.

“Fine,” Raven said after a while, kicking Bellamy as discreetly as possible. “Hi, Luna.”

“Hello, Raven.” Self-contained as ever, Gina’s best friend barely spared the rest of them a second glance. “What movie do you guys plan to see?”

“We hadn’t decided yet. Miller vetoed _Rebellion_ , he’s waiting to see it with his _boyfriend_ , but everything else is fair game. What about you guys?”

Bellamy lost track of the conversation about then, because there she was. Golden hair twisted into a low messy bun, blue eyes bright as she laughed at something one of her friends was saying, slim fingers intertwined with those of a floppy-haired, douchey-looking guy who must be the boyfriend.

Then she turned, her gaze meeting his, and Bellamy’s sudden sharp annoyance melted away as she dropped the guy’s hand to cross the room to meet him.

“Hi,” she said, her voice low and warm.

“You’re here,” he said, then immediately wanted to facepalm. _Good job, Captain Obvious._

“I did tell you I would be.” Still smiling, Clarke half-turned as her companions came up behind her. The boyfriend stepped up close to wrap a possessive arm around her hips, sizing Bellamy up contemptuously. Bellamy tried not to bristle too obviously, but luckily Clarke didn’t seem to notice. “This is Finn. My boyfriend.

“And this is Bellamy,” she continued, leaning back into the guy — _Finn_. 

He didn’t say anything, but there was definitely smug arrogance in the smirk he directed at Bellamy as he jerked his head in greeting. “Hey, man.”

Bellamy nodded in response.

“What movie are you guys seeing?” Clarke went on, still oblivious to (or maybe just deliberately ignoring) the tense atmosphere. “We hadn’t decided yet, maybe we’ll join you. If your friends don’t mind.”

“Oh, yeah, I think that’d be fine.” Turning back to the others, Bellamy found Gina watching them, her expression politely blank, and waved her over. “Hey, Gina, this is Clarke. I met her at the party last night. Clarke, this is —” He hesitated. Clarke already knew who she was, of course, but he didn’t exactly want to let his crush know that he’d talked about her to a girl she didn’t know. After a few minutes of struggling for a descriptor, he settled on, “This is my friend Gina.”

“Hi, Clarke.” Gina smiled, but Bellamy’s eyes were on Clarke and he barely noticed. “It’s nice to see that Bellamy’s capable of making friends on his own. We’ve all been a little worried about his prospects next year, away from home and all of us.”

When Clarke tilted her head at him, he explained, “I’m going to UPenn next year. Classics major, hopefully. Most of the others are staying closer to home, so they’ve been making fun of my inability to function socially.”

“Oh, wow!” To his relief, she didn’t ask what he planned to do with his degree. Instead, she just smiled. “That’s pretty cool. Do what you love, right?”

He was helpless not to smile back. “Exactly.”

“The movie’s starting soon,” Raven said, somewhat louder than was polite for a public setting, but Bellamy was simultaneously grateful for and annoyed by the interruption. His feelings for Clarke were unfamiliar, this eagerness to impress her mixed with a strange surety that she would believe in him even if he fell flat on his face in the attempt.

“Hey, Roan’s having a party later. Will we see you guys there?” Gina was looking at Clarke, and Bellamy couldn’t shake the unsettling idea that she was pointedly _not_ looking at him.

Clarke glanced towards him, and he did his best to look encouraging. After a moment’s consideration, she said, “Sure. Bellamy, text me the details?”

“Or I could give you a ride,” he blurted.

Her smile was soft, even apologetic as she explained, “Finn loves every chance he gets to show off his car, I don’t think he’ll pass this one up. I’ll meet you there.” With that, she rejoined her boyfriend, letting him slide an arm around her waist, and Bellamy had to look away.

“So that’s her,” Gina said quietly.

“Huh?”

“The girl you like.”

His head jerked up in alarm at that. “What? No, I —”

“It’s okay, Bell.” She met his gaze evenly. “Raven told Luna, and I overheard. She seems nice.”

“She has a boyfriend,” he said automatically, as much a reminder for himself as for her.

“Yes, and that’s unfortunate. I don’t know what she sees in him; of course you’d be a better choice.”

If you’d asked him just a few days ago, Bellamy would have said he wanted nothing more than for Gina to realize he’d be a great boyfriend. Now he found that it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as he’d dreamed.

“Oh.” As she so often did, Gina seemed to guess his thoughts. “Bell, you’re not in love with me.” There was no surprise in her voice, just sympathy.

“I’m not.” He meant it to be a question, just echoing her words, but his voice betrayed his subconscious. “Oh. I’m really not.”

Gina hugged him, brief but tight, all friendly affection. “For what it’s worth, I’m rooting for you.”

“Can you, um — I don’t think I can sit there in that theater with them. Will you tell Clarke I had something to take care of, but I’ll see her at the party?”

“Of course. Wear something nice, alright?”

“Anything for you.” He managed a grin, but the joke fell somewhat flat in light of his realization.


	3. i have been saving smiles for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bellamy? You still there?”
> 
> “Yeah. I can be there in twenty minutes, Clarke; just tell me when the coast is clear.”
> 
> “Will do.”
> 
> Was that nervousness in her voice, or was he just projecting?

Normally Bellamy made a point of being punctual, but he found himself dragging his feet on the way up the driveway. (Per Gina’s request, he was wearing a button-down and slacks — no tie, though; a guy had to draw the line somewhere. And it wasn’t as though Clarke had no idea what he usually wore to parties, if he went at all.)

Once he was inside, he looked around anxiously, first trying to locate Clarke, then broadening his search to anyone he recognized. Roan’s parties weren’t quite free-for-alls, but invitations were highly coveted and sometimes forged, resulting in rooms packed with strangers and deafening music barely audible over the even louder chatter. It was most introverts’ worst nightmare, but at least there was booze and pretty girls.

Speaking of whom. There was Clarke, talking to her boyfriend on the other side of the pool.

As Bellamy approached them, he realized that  _ talking _ was too mild a term: they were arguing. But she caught sight of him before he could back away to give them privacy, waving him over.

“Can you give me a ride home, Bellamy?” she asked, turning a very bright and very forced smile on him.

“Of course.” He forced himself not to look at Finn; if she wanted to tell him, she would. “Right now?”

“If you don’t mind.”

He’d only come to this party because she’d be here, so of course he didn’t mind. Rather than say that, though, he just nodded and led the way back out to his car.

Finally, as he was taking the turn out of Roan’s neighborhood, Clarke broke the silence. “I guess I owe you an explanation.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” he hastened to reassure her. “I’m here if you want to talk about it, but it’s okay if you don’t. It’s your business.”

She laughed, a little bitterly. “Why can’t all guys be as respectful as you? Take Finn for instance — it turns out that he’s under the impression that three months is the point at which he’s earned the right to his girlfriend’s virginity.” 

Bellamy couldn’t help wincing, and she seemed to notice.

“Sorry. TMI?”

Keeping his eyes fixed on the road, uncertain how to react in light of this new information, he shrugged one shoulder. “Like I said, if you want to talk about it… I do have a sister, so I’m pretty familiar with a lot of the ways society can be shitty and misogynistic.”

Her phone started playing what he was pretty sure was the theme from  _ Titanic _ , and she made a face. “Shit, I should’ve just blocked him. Do you — Would it be okay if I deal with this now? So I don’t have to do it later, when I’m alone.”

“Yeah, go ahead.” It really shouldn’t have been such a big deal that she trusted him with her vulnerability, that she’d rather have him as backup than be alone, but Bellamy felt a flutter of affection (and, okay, maybe a little bit of smug pride) nonetheless. 

“Finn,” she said in a  _ take no bullshit _ tone that made Bellamy extremely glad he was on her good side (and vow to stay there). “I told you, we’re done. Obviously you were only interested in me as a conquest, and I’m worth more than that.  _ Any _ girl is worth more than that. No. There isn’t a single excuse that could justify the things you said to me tonight.  _ Goodbye _ , Finn.” She stabbed at the screen.

“Kind of makes you wish we still used flip phones,” Bellamy offered lightly. 

This time, there was genuine amusement in her laugh. “You know, I’ve never had a flip phone, but I imagine you’re right. Man, it would’ve been so satisfying to slam that sucker shut. Like,  _ mic drop _ .”

“Yeah.” Glancing at her sidelong, Bellamy got the impression she was trying pretty damn hard to hold it together, and he mentally berated himself for his earlier self-congratulation. Clearly she  _ wasn’t _ completely comfortable letting him see her break down, and after a disillusionment like that he certainly couldn’t blame her. “Do you wanna go straight home, or should I drive around a bit?”

Now there was gratitude in her smile, maybe even a little wonder. “How are you even real? Seriously.”

“What?” He shifted under her gaze.

“You’re a good guy, Bellamy Blake.”

Since he was driving, he couldn’t duck his head to hide his sudden embarrassment, like he wanted to. “I try.”

 

_ Three months later _

Octavia deliberately dropped her social studies textbook next to her brother’s head with a huff.

Startling upright from his sprawl on the couch, he glared at her. “What the h — eck, O?” (He was trying not to swear in front of a certain impressionable twelve-year-old, but she certainly didn’t make it easy.)

“Answer your damn phone, Bell, it keeps ringing.” She had the nerve to look affronted, as though she hadn’t just almost given him a concussion.

“Language,” he admonished as he pulled the offending object out of his pocket, not bothering to check the caller ID before picking up. “Hello?”

“Hey, Bellamy.”

“Clarke! Hi. Just, um, give me one second.” Shooting his sister a warning look, he retreated to the kitchen, where he could still keep an eye on her but was hopefully out of her earshot. “What’s up?”

He could hear her hesitation even through the phone. They’d been texting quite a bit since the party, had even met up once or twice, but he had no idea what she was about to say or why she’d actually called him.

“So, it turns out the annual hospital gala is tonight.”

“Okay?”

“And that means my parents are —  _ No, I told you, I’m sick! _ ” She launched into what had to be the least convincing coughing fit Bellamy had ever heard, which was saying something considering his sister was an awful actress who hated school. “My parents will be gone  _ all night _ . Want to come over?”

“Um. Give me one sec.” He poked his head back into the living room. “O, you wanna text Raven and see if she wants to sleep over with you?”

“Where are  _ you  _ going?” she demanded, even as she typed away on her phone.

“None of your business.”

A second later, she looked up with a smirk. “She says sure, but you owe her. And what does  _ getting laid _ mean?”

“ _ What  _ did Raven even say?” Bellamy snatched the phone from her hands, only to find that Raven’s reply was perfectly PG, containing neither a mention of  _ getting laid _ nor of favors to be repaid. Exasperated, he huffed and handed it back. “You little liar. And I know that you know what  _ getting laid _ means — but it better not be from experience.”

Widening her eyes innocently, Octavia just shook her head.

“Bellamy? You still there?”

“Yeah. I can be there in twenty minutes, Clarke; just tell me when the coast is clear.”

“Will do.”

Was that nervousness in her voice, or was he just projecting?

 

Minutes later, Bellamy was staring down at the contents of his bedside table — or, more specifically, the box of condoms inside. (He’d bought them in solidarity with Miller, on a furtive drugstore run that their parents still didn’t know about and didn’t need to know about, but unlike his friend, Bellamy had yet to even open the packaging, let alone the contents.) 

It wasn’t that they hadn’t talked about the possibility; it had actually come up the night they’d met, when Bellamy had admitted to being a virgin while Clarke refused to answer her own question, instead going off on a rant about  _ disgusting double standards _ intermixed with dismissiveness towards the significance of the  _ first time _ . 

She probably kept her own supply of condoms. Knowing Clarke, it was hard to believe that she would leave it up to chance and trust. 

And yet Bellamy still stood there, torn. 

If he didn’t bring any, would she take it as a sign that he didn’t care enough about her to take necessary precautions? Or, worse, that he didn’t want her at all?

But on the other hand, if he brought some, would she take it as a sign that he didn’t respect her enough as a person not to assume that it was the reason she’d invited him over? 

His phone buzzed with an incoming text: 

_ 20 minutes  _

_ I’m watching the clock :P _

Resolutely, he shut the drawer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally planning to have Roan make an actual appearance (actually, I initially cast him as Clarke's boyfriend instead of Finn, but I didn't really see him as the kind of douche he would've needed to be for plot purposes), but things just didn't work out that way.
> 
> Really should've realized sooner that I did alternating POV in the first chapter, but since the original movie is in Dave's (Dylan's) POV this seemed truer to the source material. Next chapter will be Clarke POV, though! And I swear it really will be the last one; I mainly split them for consistency of chapter length.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to [me](http://bellamythology.tumblr.com) on Tumblr!


End file.
